In today’s digital age, there are numerous apps and tools that can enhance your safari experience. From planning and navigation to wildlife identification and photography, these apps and tools can help you make the most of your journey through Tanzania’s stunning national parks and game reserves.
1. Wildlife Identification Apps
iNaturalist: A popular app among wildlife enthusiasts, iNaturalist helps you identify plants, animals, and insects you encounter during your safari. Simply take a photo, and the app will suggest potential species. You can also contribute your findings to a global database.
Seek by iNaturalist: A family-friendly app that allows users to scan and identify various species, from mammals and birds to plants and insects. Great for safari-goers of all ages who want to learn about the biodiversity around them.
Wildlife Safari Guide: This app is specifically designed for African safaris, offering identification tools for mammals, birds, reptiles, and more. It provides detailed information on over 500 species commonly found in Africa.
iNaturalist: A popular app among wildlife enthusiasts, iNaturalist helps you identify plants, animals, and insects you encounter during your safari. Simply take a photo, and the app will suggest potential species. You can also contribute your findings to a global database.
Seek by iNaturalist: A family-friendly app that allows users to scan and identify various species, from mammals and birds to plants and insects. Great for safari-goers of all ages who want to learn about the biodiversity around them.
Wildlife Safari Guide: This app is specifically designed for African safaris, offering identification tools for mammals, birds, reptiles, and more. It provides detailed information on over 500 species commonly found in Africa.
2. Navigation and Tracking Apps
Google Maps: While many safari routes in Tanzania are well-known and mapped, having a reliable navigation tool is essential, especially when traveling to remote areas. Google Maps works offline if you download maps before your trip, which can be helpful in areas with poor signal.
Maps.me: Another excellent app for offline maps. Maps.me allows you to download maps for specific regions and provides detailed routes, including hiking paths, parks, and safari trails.
Komoot: If you’re planning on doing any walking safaris or trekking, Komoot is a great app for hiking routes, terrain, and distance tracking. It also works offline and offers turn-by-turn navigation for walking routes.
Google Maps: While many safari routes in Tanzania are well-known and mapped, having a reliable navigation tool is essential, especially when traveling to remote areas. Google Maps works offline if you download maps before your trip, which can be helpful in areas with poor signal.
Maps.me: Another excellent app for offline maps. Maps.me allows you to download maps for specific regions and provides detailed routes, including hiking paths, parks, and safari trails.
Komoot: If you’re planning on doing any walking safaris or trekking, Komoot is a great app for hiking routes, terrain, and distance tracking. It also works offline and offers turn-by-turn navigation for walking routes.
3. Photography Apps and Tools
Sun Seeker: This app helps you track the sun’s position throughout the day. It’s ideal for planning your safari photography, as it helps you capture the best lighting for wildlife shots and scenic landscapes.
PhotoPills: A must-have for serious photographers, PhotoPills allows you to plan the perfect shots with precise information about sunrises, sunsets, and even the Milky Way. It’s great for capturing the early morning and late afternoon golden hour in the wild.
Adobe Lightroom: Whether you’re an amateur or a pro, Adobe Lightroom offers powerful tools for editing photos on the go. You can adjust exposure, contrast, and colors to bring out the beauty of your safari photos.
Sun Seeker: This app helps you track the sun’s position throughout the day. It’s ideal for planning your safari photography, as it helps you capture the best lighting for wildlife shots and scenic landscapes.
PhotoPills: A must-have for serious photographers, PhotoPills allows you to plan the perfect shots with precise information about sunrises, sunsets, and even the Milky Way. It’s great for capturing the early morning and late afternoon golden hour in the wild.
Adobe Lightroom: Whether you’re an amateur or a pro, Adobe Lightroom offers powerful tools for editing photos on the go. You can adjust exposure, contrast, and colors to bring out the beauty of your safari photos.
4. Safari Tracking and Safari Log Apps
Wildlife Tracker: This app allows safari enthusiasts to track the movements of specific animals within certain regions. While it’s more useful for guides and experts, some safari companies use it to track animal behavior and offer better tour experiences.
Safari Log: A personal safari journal where you can log your sightings, record the date, time, and location of the animals you spot. It helps you track your wildlife encounters over the course of your safari.
Wildlife Tracker: This app allows safari enthusiasts to track the movements of specific animals within certain regions. While it’s more useful for guides and experts, some safari companies use it to track animal behavior and offer better tour experiences.
Safari Log: A personal safari journal where you can log your sightings, record the date, time, and location of the animals you spot. It helps you track your wildlife encounters over the course of your safari.
5. Health and Safety Apps
First Aid by American Red Cross: An essential app for any traveler, First Aid by American Red Cross offers step-by-step instructions for managing minor injuries or emergencies. It’s particularly useful for safaris, where you may be away from immediate medical care.
TravelSafe Pro: This app provides essential information about medical facilities, safety tips, and emergency contacts for various countries. It’s an excellent resource to have on hand during your Tanzania safari.
Wellness Apps (Calm or Headspace): Long safari drives and game-viewing experiences can sometimes be overwhelming. These apps provide guided meditation, relaxation exercises, and sleep aids to help you stay calm and focused during the trip.
First Aid by American Red Cross: An essential app for any traveler, First Aid by American Red Cross offers step-by-step instructions for managing minor injuries or emergencies. It’s particularly useful for safaris, where you may be away from immediate medical care.
TravelSafe Pro: This app provides essential information about medical facilities, safety tips, and emergency contacts for various countries. It’s an excellent resource to have on hand during your Tanzania safari.
Wellness Apps (Calm or Headspace): Long safari drives and game-viewing experiences can sometimes be overwhelming. These apps provide guided meditation, relaxation exercises, and sleep aids to help you stay calm and focused during the trip.
6. Wildlife and Weather Apps
Weather Underground: Weather conditions can change quickly on safari, and it’s important to know what to expect. Weather Underground provides detailed weather forecasts with real-time updates, so you can plan your activities accordingly.
AccuWeather: Another reliable app for weather forecasting, AccuWeather gives you an hourly breakdown and long-term weather predictions. It can be useful for anticipating rain, heat, or temperature changes during your safari.
Xeno-canto: If you’re a birdwatching enthusiast, this app is invaluable. Xeno-canto offers recordings of bird calls from around the world, helping you identify birds by their songs. You can search for specific birds and even upload your recordings.
Weather Underground: Weather conditions can change quickly on safari, and it’s important to know what to expect. Weather Underground provides detailed weather forecasts with real-time updates, so you can plan your activities accordingly.
AccuWeather: Another reliable app for weather forecasting, AccuWeather gives you an hourly breakdown and long-term weather predictions. It can be useful for anticipating rain, heat, or temperature changes during your safari.
Xeno-canto: If you’re a birdwatching enthusiast, this app is invaluable. Xeno-canto offers recordings of bird calls from around the world, helping you identify birds by their songs. You can search for specific birds and even upload your recordings.
7. Safari Booking and Itinerary Apps
SafariBookings: SafariBookings is an excellent app for browsing and booking safaris across various destinations. You can compare prices, read reviews, and find tours that match your interests, whether it’s a game drive or a walking safari.
TripIt: Keep all your safari bookings, accommodation details, and activities in one place with TripIt. This app organizes your travel plans into a digital itinerary, so you can quickly access flight info, hotel reservations, and safari tour details.
SafariBookings: SafariBookings is an excellent app for browsing and booking safaris across various destinations. You can compare prices, read reviews, and find tours that match your interests, whether it’s a game drive or a walking safari.
TripIt: Keep all your safari bookings, accommodation details, and activities in one place with TripIt. This app organizes your travel plans into a digital itinerary, so you can quickly access flight info, hotel reservations, and safari tour details.
8. Currency and Expense Tracking Apps
XE Currency: When traveling to Tanzania, it’s essential to keep track of exchange rates. XE Currency allows you to track the Tanzanian shilling and convert it into other currencies, ensuring you get the best deals while on safari.
Expensify: If you want to keep track of your safari expenses, Expensify helps you organize receipts, manage your budget, and keep a digital log of your travel spending.
XE Currency: When traveling to Tanzania, it’s essential to keep track of exchange rates. XE Currency allows you to track the Tanzanian shilling and convert it into other currencies, ensuring you get the best deals while on safari.
Expensify: If you want to keep track of your safari expenses, Expensify helps you organize receipts, manage your budget, and keep a digital log of your travel spending.
9. Local Language Apps
Tanzania Travel Guide by Triposo: This app is not only useful for navigation but also provides cultural insights, essential travel tips, and key phrases in Swahili to help you communicate better with locals.
Google Translate: Swahili is the most widely spoken language in Tanzania, and Google Translate can be an invaluable tool for quick translations. It offers voice and text translation for smoother interactions.
Tanzania Travel Guide by Triposo: This app is not only useful for navigation but also provides cultural insights, essential travel tips, and key phrases in Swahili to help you communicate better with locals.
Google Translate: Swahili is the most widely spoken language in Tanzania, and Google Translate can be an invaluable tool for quick translations. It offers voice and text translation for smoother interactions.
10. Social Media and Sharing Apps
Instagram: For sharing your incredible safari moments, Instagram is the best social media platform. Use hashtags like #TanzaniaSafari, #Serengeti, or #FutureAfricanSafari to connect with other safari lovers and share your experience in real-time.
Travel Diaries (Polarsteps): Polarsteps allows you to document your entire safari journey with photos and location tags, creating a travel diary that you can share with friends or use to remember your safari adventure long after it’s over.
Instagram: For sharing your incredible safari moments, Instagram is the best social media platform. Use hashtags like #TanzaniaSafari, #Serengeti, or #FutureAfricanSafari to connect with other safari lovers and share your experience in real-time.
Travel Diaries (Polarsteps): Polarsteps allows you to document your entire safari journey with photos and location tags, creating a travel diary that you can share with friends or use to remember your safari adventure long after it’s over.
Conclusion
The right apps can make your safari experience in Tanzania more enjoyable, informative, and organized. Whether it’s for wildlife identification, navigation, photography, or simply staying safe, these apps and tools will help you make the most of your time in one of Africa’s most extraordinary destinations. Make sure to download them before your trip for a seamless safari experience.